For Better or For Worse
by cmartlover
Summary: Stormcage-it was cold, dark,lonely, and not to mention the most highly surveyed prison in all the universe. No wonder River Song was relieved when the Doctor returned. But neither she nor the Doctor could have seen the terrible things to come...
1. Unexpected

**Author's Note: **So, this is my new Doctor/River fic. It takes place soon after the Wedding of River Song, meaning River has only been in prison for a few months. I hope you enjoy! Please Review!

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><p>A crinkled blanket of darkness stretched continuously, for miles after miles, never ceasing to display a vast array of impossible wonders.<p>

From the multi- colored, luminescent specks of light, to the scattered remnants of long forgotten worlds, the universe was one astounding sight to behold.

Though it contained a countless measure of extraordinary peoples, sights and planets, beneath the surface, it was actually seething with an unavoidable amount of corruption.

Out of all the numerous places throughout the universe diluted with varying degrees of disreputable evil, there was once location in particular that was most fiercely contested by it.

The looming, metallic walls reached high into the great unknown, for only such a magnificent structure could imprison the most deadly beings who ever existed.

Perhaps those under the heaviest surveillance were the greatest danger of all—those dreadfully unfortunate psychopaths who had brutally murdered some of the most important creatures of all time.

Among the grotesque, homicidal maniacs, lay a young, troubled curly haired woman, who had only landed in such a terrible facility for one reason, and one reason only—and that reason was simply because she so desperately loved the only man who had been capable of bringing her out of her endless insanity.

A sea of beautiful, golden locks, submerged a pale, lurid body, which was seemingly hoisted to a cool, metal cot.

A pair of glossy, green tinged eyes fluttered open slowly, each time shifting down to the image of a slightly disheveled, deep blue book, clasped tightly by a smooth, wavering hand.

As if to maneuver her graceful figure into a more comfortable position, the fatigued woman stirred slightly, her insufficient, threadbare blanket moving in sync with the rest of her downtrodden body.

River Song released a short sigh of defeat.

No matter how much she wished to dismiss the source of her inconsolability as a physical ailment, the rapid thumping of her irregular pulse, along with the consistent wetness pouring from her somber eyes, were constant reminders of her true predicament.

The gaping hole of emptiness, which devoured her lonely soul, was further confirmation of her shrouded doubts.

As each day elapsed painstakingly, River often wondered why she had agreed to endure such agonizing torment. Each time, the answer came swiftly as ever, as River would allow herself to be consumed by an eternal, physical and emotional yearning for the man who had long since stolen her bitter heart.

Her distracted mind flowing with nearly tangible images, the woman with the wild curls imagined the sight of a peculiar man.

He was clothed handsomely in what he claimed was infinity tweed, which delicately framed his floppy, crimson colored bow tie and skin- tight shirt, revealing the intoxicating form of his strong, lanky figure.

Recalling the resonant melody of his familiar voice, River envisioned that ridiculous mop of raggedy, brown hair, drooping carelessly above a crinkled forehead, nestling upon a face with lips that were pursed in an adorable smile.

The sudden thought of those warm lips dancing gracefully upon hers, sent River's heart racing at an astronomic rate.

_Doctor—will you ever know how much I need you-how much I love you? It's been two months now, and not a moment passes where I don't—_The heartfelt thoughts of the woman formally known as Melody Pond, were drowned out by an indescribable whooshing sound, which began to reverberate throughout the somber interior of cell 426.

For what must have been the first time in weeks, River Song, her cheekbones rising and cherry colored lips curving upright, could not help but smile.

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><p>"Hi, Honey, I'm home," the flirtatious welcome rushed from the lips of the man in the top hat, a smug grin molded across his handsome face.<p>

Though the comment was only intended to provoke her usual response, it provided River with a wave of comfort and relief.

Nevertheless, the abrasive, curly haired woman, who was dressed slightly provocatively in a tank top and shorts, was determined to vent out the anger that was blazing from within.

Her loose curls bounced carelessly as her sparkling eyes cautiously scanned their perimeter.

After briefly fixing her gaze on the intricate, geometric shapes of the TARDIS interior, she glared at the sight of a short, shimmering dress, which was situated beside the central console.

Following that action, she lifted her eyes to the Doctor, who was fidgeting nervously. The rage originating from her present predicament mingled violently with the agony of the last two months of her life and compelled River to make her next move.

As the firm fingers situated erectly on River's hand glided through the air, they hastily collided with the Doctor's warm cheek, causing him to yelp childishly.

Before the disgruntled man in the bow tie could open his mouth in reproach, his feisty counterpart released the remainder of her unquenchable rage.

" That was for leaving me on my own in that blasted prison for two months!" River failed to conceal the tremor in her voice.

" River, I couldn't help it…I've been knocking about on my own lately…and I guess I seem to loose track of time…I promise, it wasn't intentional…I think what I'm trying to say is…I'm…sorry, I—" The Doctor's sincere apology was silenced by the elusive lips of his tantalizing companion.

As her soft lips galloped fervently upon his, River felt her apprehension disintegrating. The sudden feeling of his strong hand sifting through her thick hair deepened the embrace for them both. However, the swift blow of reality caused the Doctor to draw back.

" Sorry. Just remembered…you've got two minutes to get dressed…into more suitable attire," the man in the long, pitch black suit remarked to the woman clothed in a slightly ruffled camisole, his rigid finger motioning toward the less than appealing evening gown perched beside her.

" Still not the perfect sentence," River Song sighed in disappointment.

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><p>"River, I thought I told you two minutes! How long does it take to get changed into one simple dre—" The bumbling, impatient Doctor stopped as soon as his seductive wife made her breathtaking entrance.<p>

"Hello Sweetie," the alluring woman draped in the short, flattering blue dress cooed, as she watched her husband's cheeks flush a bright pink.

" Well, come on then, Doctor! What are you doing just standing around for? I'm ready for an adventure, if you don't mind!" River voiced her opinion confidently, her slender hand fashioned tightly to her hip, causing the Doctor to momentarily freeze, his expression filled with awe.

" Oh, right! Yes, of course! Here we g—" The elegantly dressed man fumbled his words, his gaze still glued to the mesmerizing woman, thus initiating his painful and unexpected crash into the TARDIS console.

_Every time, _River song chuckled silently to herself, before helping the embarrassed, blushing Doctor regain his former stance.

"Ah, here we are! The 5th moon of the Gantoc belt…home of the famous rainbow waterfall…which only flows once every 1,000 years…there's nothing else like it in the entire universe…have I impressed you yet, Melody Pond?" The obvious answer to the Doctor's question was clearly engrained in River's doubtful, unconvinced expression.

Considering that the rugged, blackened shapes dotting the planet's landscape in no way matched the raggedy man's affluent description, it seemed extremely probable that the curly haired woman's doubts were correctly founded.

"Oh, don't give me that awful look, River. I have possibly gone a bit off course—or more than likely a quite bit more than that, but we can always…wait…something's not right…I can feel it…I think we'd better check this out." The clever man in the bow tie reasoned, before entangling his long fingers with those of his enumerating wife, and ushering them both into oblivion.

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><p>Grasping her miniature computer, while also clutching her stomach, the frightfully pale woman attempted to access the data regarding her current position.<p>

As the Doctor's warm green eyes shifted slowly onto her, River realized his growing concern.

"River, is everything alright? You seem a bit pale, " came the shaky voice of the man she loved. Not knowing how she should respond, River decided to brush his concerns off, and focus his energy on the matter at hand.

" I'm fine, sweetie. But, dare I ask, where are we? What exactly are we looking for?" In response to her innocent inquiries, the Doctor fumbled his fingers about his face, as he always did when he was in deep concentration.

"Dunno yet. But believe me, we'll know when we see it. Don't know where we are yet either, but I'm working it out."

Skipping over the dark terrain, River continued their little expedition.

Though she desperately wanted to pretend she was absolutely fine, her body was shaking, and she knew precisely why. The undeniable silence, looming darkness, and fearful aura of the eerie planet unnerved her. Not to mention, she had the most peculiar inkling that she had been there before, something she dared not mention to the Doctor.

Glancing in a new direction, the normally confident woman felt a shudder rush down her spine, after just one hasty glance at the terrifying sight before her.

" Doctor…I think we've found what we're looking for..." The quivering, fear filled voice immediately captured the Doctor's attention, and beckoned him over to where she was standing.

The sudden change in the Doctor's demeanor was subtle, but the slightly bluish glow of his skin, and the additional lines on his contorted forehead were more than enough conformation of River's worst fears. Having come to this conclusion, the woman with the wild curls was not at all surprised by the words that suddenly came spurting out of the Doctor's quivering lips.

" Okay… this is bad…very not good…I'm sorry River, but I've put us both in terrible danger…if only I had seen this coming…"

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><p><strong>Note:<strong>Thanks for reading! More will be coming soon. Reviews are always welcome!

P.S. If you enjoyed this story, you should check out my profile and read some of my other Doctor Who fictions, including a Doctor/River fic entitled, "Love is A Battlefield."


	2. Trust Me

**Author's Note: Here's the next chapter, finally! I hope you enjoy it. I just want to quickly remind you that this is a very young version of River, as she's only been in Stormcage for a few months. Reviews are always welcome:)**

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><p>The man in the bow tie was momentarily rendered paralyzed, as tiny beads of sweat trickled down his crinkled forehead, and his mouth gaped wide open. His hearts were thumping at an astronomical rate, and his soulful blue eyes were practically glued to the horrifying sight before him.<p>

The Doctor did not even need to turn his head to get the sense that the pale, curly haired woman beside him had a familiar sensation of fear seeping through her bones.

It was obvious from her coarse breathing and rapid heartbeat that she was entangled in the same menacing dread that wracked his body nearly every day.

Sensing her agitation, he welded her frigid body against his and pulled her very close, all the while still completely fixated on the potential danger a front.

As he felt her quivering body rested upon his rumpled tweed jacket, the Doctor cautiously shifted one hand through her thick mop of curls and carefully maneuvered his frozen lips toward her ear, ever so softly whispering an important warning that would have been utterly inscrutable to anyone else.

"River, whatever you do…do…not…blink…"

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><p>The Doctor's broken whisper caused the pulse in River's neck to fluctuate madly. She remained steadfast in his strong arms and allowed the warmth of his body to seep into hers.<p>

As much as the man in the bow tie feigned strength, the curly haired woman could tell from the wobbly motion of his arms that he was terribly afraid.

Twisting her head slightly, she briefly glimpsed the heinous silhouettes of several stone statues that were perched in a variety of alarming positions.

Though this was most certainly her first encounter with the despicable creatures, years of archaeological training caused their identity to become increasingly apparent.

This foreknowledge reminded River that the Weeping Angels were an extremely deadly race who murdered their victims by blasting them back to the past and preying on what would have been.

Even then, the curly haired woman deduced an infinitely greater amount about the stone aliens just by simply peering her eyes in the direction of the Doctor's constricted face.

"Doctor, what do we do? We can't just stand here, they'll surely kill us if we do that…" River muttered in a low, shaky voice, hoping to elicit a decent response from the perplexed man.

The Doctor, however, remained precisely in the same position, the only visible movement in his body being the dilation of his dark pupils.

The intense terror flickering in his eyes served only to escalate the curly haired woman's heartbeat to an even greater pace.

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><p>Though the man in the bow tie had vaguely heard the quiet inquiries of his shivering wife, he could not seem to muster the courage to so much as part his parched lips.<p>

_No, no, no…but how can they be here…What could they possibly be up to…Why do I have the strangest feeling that I'm missing something that's smack dab in front of me… _As the Doctor pondered his dangerous predicament, a spontaneous impulse suddenly subdued his mind.

Glancing forward at the thickening fog and the darkened demonic shapes, the raggedy man clasped his wife's hand without any warning.

"Run!" The Doctor rasped rather loudly, before dashing in the opposite direction, the curly haired woman's fingers still lodged securely in his.

"Run, where, Sweetie?" River gasped, her terror-stricken eyes nearly bulging out.

"To the TARDIS, of course! Where else is there to go?" The man in the bow tie yelped, his blackened boots cascading hastily over the bumpy ground.

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><p>As a gust of pain ravaged River's throbbing legs, she felt her lungs stir within inflammation and her stomach lurch in agony.<p>

With great effort, she managed to release a few, husky breaths.

Despite these physical ailments, she continued to fixate her mind upon the heavenly mental image of a shimmering blue box.

Even then, River found it impossible to ignore the soft, occult sounds that were just barely recognizable to her highly developed senses.

A rush of dreadful fear began to swell in her heart and her eyelids folded shut, as if to prepare for the end.

In one swift motion, the lurid body of the curly haired woman jerked to the ground, her pale face smothered in a mound of dirt.

Within seconds, River Song found it entirely too difficult to resist the tantalizing allure of the scathing darkness that was beginning to creep in.

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><p>When the Doctor's wide feet unexpectedly skidded to a halt, he watched in absolute horror, as his wife's crumpled figure sank to the ground.<p>

Her lukewarm hand remained nestled in his and he attempted to cushion her fall, but to no avail.

He really had not meant to stop so abruptly and cause her to stumble in such a manner, but it seemed that in the midst of all the chaos he had accidentally tripped over a fallen tree root.

The sudden hiatus in movement had not seriously affected the resilient man in the bow tie, but it had unfortunately sent River flying.

Now, as the Doctor fingered the bare shoulders of his unconscious counterpart, he zipped his eyes closed, half expecting two malicious stone claws to snap his neck.

However, after enduring thirty seconds of utter silence, the shivering man finally allowed his blue irises to gaze upon the sight behind him.

Every gut instinct pulverizing his disheveled body seemed to prepare him for the inevitable.

Much to the Doctor's astonishment, what he would have supposed to be one of the deadliest beings imaginable, turned out to be nothing more than a dark, hazy mist.

_Nothing? But surely they would have had us by now…_

Closely examining his surroundings, the man in the bow tie glimpsed the blurry outlines of the terrifying creatures that had frightened him terribly just moments before, only to realize that the stone statues remained perched erectly in the exact same manner as they had been previously.

_What…they haven't even moved at all…but…why…unless…_

The musings of the raggedy man were momentarily shattered when his firm hand suddenly slipped down into a bundled mass of dirty blond curls.

The tingling sensation of warmth briskly reminded the Doctor of his current predicament.

"River! River, can you hear me?" the man in the bow tie muttered beneath his breath, his hands gently shaking River's frigid body back and forth.

His reddened ear approached his lips, and he could only sense a faint breeze of air drifting from her mouth.

Tilting her head back, the Doctor pondered his next move.

The last time he had found himself in such a troubling situation, his enigmatic wife had been faking, but, somehow, the slightly bluish tint to her skin was sickening evidence that River was genuinely impaired.

What the Doctor found most unbelievable about the woman's condition was that she had been rendered unconscious so easily.

The River Song he knew could escape the confines of a parasitic suit, and also manage to deliver the man she loved from the painful grip of death. For that reason, he found it difficult to truly believe that her condition could merely be attributed to his sudden halt in motion. Something dreadful was ravaging her body, and he was determined to ascertain the truth.

Though, for the time being, the raggedy man decided he must direct his attention to the immediate task at hand.

Because of his peculiar state of mind, the man in the floppy bow tie fiddled his arms about his face, as he always seemed inclined to do when in deep thought.

_What am I supposed to do…her vitals are fading…come on, Doctor think…CPR…wait, I can't do that…I've never…but, I guess if Amy could do it…so can I…_The Doctor concluded at last, before tilting the woman's smooth chin upward, and placing his lips carefully upon hers, two heavy breaths escaping wearily from his lungs.

Listening cautiously for a reasonable response, but not attaining one, the raggedy man continued on to the next procedure.

His hands folded upward, and he somewhat awkwardly rested them upon her chest, before pressing them softly up and down.

Leaning his ear back toward her unmoving lips, he settled his mouth upon them once again, his eyes bubbling with tears of desperation.

Just when he had nearly succumbed to defeat, River's chest suddenly lurched upward, and a sharp cough reverberated from her throat, until her breathing steadied.

A surge of heat pulsated through the Doctor's stiff body, as his curly haired companion brushed her lips against his.

Her recently aroused fingers dug through his ruffled frock of brown hair, deepening the embrace for them both, until she shifted her head back, as if remembering something unmistakably significant.

"Wait…Doctor…what about the Angels…what's happened…surely…" River's inquiry caused the redness in the Doctor's cheeks to fade instantly, as his jaw tightened.

"Look," the raggedy man motioned his wobbly finger toward the distant figures wafting in the darkness from afar.

The curly haired woman shifted her trembling body in an upright position, in order to attain a better view.

"That's rather strange. They haven't moved…but I thought…Doctor, why have you got that look on your face?" River spoke warily, her crystal eyes processing the implications of the Doctor's puzzling expression.

"Do you trust me, River Song?" The handsome man questioned innocently, his soulful blue eyes searching her face longingly.

"Always," the curly haired woman exclaimed confidently, her gaze never once faltering.

Taking her hand and pulling her to her feet, the raggedy man positioned his vision directly on his flustered wife.

"Are you sure…completely sure? Because I'm about to do something incredibly dangerous and mad…and assuming I don't get us both killed…we might very well be zapped back somewhere in history…no TARDIS, no nothing…though, in all honesty, it's far more likely that we'll be absolutely fine…because let's just say I may have a hunch…But, anyway, regardless of the outcome, are you willing to risk it?" the Doctor's tone sounded completely serious, until a devious smirk crinkled across his face.

"Anything for you, honey," River cooed, before they both embarked straight into the potentially corrosive domain of the notorious Weeping Angels.

However, what the curly haired woman seemed completely oblivious to, was the quiet, greenish flickering of a certain alien gadget, that served to illuminate the disgruntled forehead of the man who was nervously deducing the state of her frightful condition.

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><p><strong>Note: I wasn't orginally going to end there, but I think it makes most sense that way. I have lots in store for this story and will definitely continue if I receive enough positive feedback. Remember that reviews are greatly appreciated!<strong>

**P.S. If you're enjoying this story so far, you might enjoy some of my others, which are posted on my profile page.  
><strong>

**Have a wonderful day!**


	3. Memories

**Author's Note: Here's chapter 3! It's a bit shorter than my previous chapters, but I hope you enjoy it, nonetheless. Reviews would be lovely!**

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><p>The man with the raggedy brown hair and his curly haired counterpart cautiously ebbed toward the menacing stone statues.<p>

Sensing his wife's tension, the Doctor fastened her hand securely in his.

Though the threatening monsters remained unmoving, the man in the bow tie could not seem to escape the intensity of several cold stares originating from somewhere nearby.

At this point, the Last of the Time Lords realized that his rigid body was only within a few meters of the horrid creatures.

_Oh well, here goes nothing. _The Doctor mused to himself, before finally making a very important decision.

"River, get back, now!" He rasped in a stern voice, his hearts secretly severed by the flicker of pain flashing in her beautiful blue eyes.

_It's for her own good, I can't risk anything, given her recent… condition… _Cringing slightly, the man in the bow tie recalled the unusual readings that had registered on his sonic screwdriver, before his thoughts were steered away from that matter.

"No, Doctor. I can't leave you…I won't leave you…so don't even think about asking again," the curly haired woman spoke firmly, her fierce loyalty causing the Doctor's cheeks to fill with heat.

Based on past experience, the raggedy man decided that any attempt to dissuade her would be utterly futile.

Carefully inching forward, the trembling man in the bow tie snapped his eyes shut, in fear of what trouble his actions could potentially ensue.

While his left hand remained wedged inside his wife's, his right hand reached out towards the great unknown.

In one mere moment, the Doctor's frostbitten fingers brushed against the cold, bumpy stone, causing his body to jerk back suddenly, and his shimmering blue eyes to pop right open.

His eyes scanning the faces of one of the most deadly races in the entire universe, the raggedy man finally sighed in relief.

The ferment of his previous emotions had instilled a blazing terror in his faithful wife, but now, as the Doctor's breathing steadied, River's quickened pulse began to settle.

"River, I think we're going to be just fine. The Angels still haven't moved, even though I just gave them the perfect opportunity to dispose of us, just now. It seems that if they had been capable of harming us they would have done it already, so the greatest question of the hour is, 'why?' Why haven't the creatures with possibly one of the poignant survival instincts of any species acted upon it? What's holding them back?"

The raggedy man vocalized his inquiries amid a sea of gut wrenching silence.

As the Doctor rummaged through the pockets of his black trousers, he eventually relinquished his beloved sonic.

"Aha!" the bumbling man exclaimed rather loudly, a ridiculous smile crinkling across his face.

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><p>Meanwhile, as the Doctor busied himself with a relatively unproductive feat, River Song inconspicuously crept over towards another area where the stone statues were situated, in an attempt to ascertain the true nature of the situation.<p>

Though she was beginning to feel slightly nauseous, she tried her best to continue focusing on what was currently much higher on the priority list.

Besides, if she began to exhibit signs of illness, the Doctor would likely begin to ask questions, and it would be better if he was not burdened by something that was likely not of any real importance.

Narrowing her eyes, as if to focus, the curly haired woman slowly cascaded her fingers down the rigid stone structure. However, she found it extremely difficult to concentrate, given the fact that the boisterous voice of her husband continued to puncture her ears.

"What are you, then? Holograms? No, you're stone, of course you couldn't be holograms…perhaps there's some sort of perception filter that I seemed to have missed…or maybe River and I were just hallucinating and you were never even here in the first place…no, no…that theory's complete rubbish. What is it then? What am I missing?"

The perplexed man was raking his fingers through his coarse mop of dark hair, as tiny lines of irritation folded across his pale forehead.

"Doctor, I think you might want to see this…" River muttered, her blue eyes growing wide.

"Hold up, River, I'm sort of busy, here…" the man in the bow tie barely even glanced in her direction, for his daft fingers twisted around the contour of his sonic repeatedly; he was completely absorbed in his own world.

After managing with great difficulty to refrain from giving him a harsh slap across the face, the woman with the curly hair instead devised another method of gaining his attention.

"Doctor…its…its…got me…the Angel…help!" The archaeologist utilized her talents to create her best impression of cry of distress, and her attempt was obviously successful, because the Doctor instantly jerked out of his imaginary state, rushing frantically over to her.

"River…River…are you okay? But how could they have…oh, it doesn't matter…I'm so sorry, I'm really truly very sorr—"

The rambling man suddenly halted mid-sentence, as he became aware of a dreadfully evil smirk that had molded across her face.

"Gotcha!" his enigmatic wife cooed, her long eyelashes flitting seductively.

Immediately, the Doctor's cheeks swelled with color, as a droplet of sweat trickled down his rigid forehead.

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><p>"B-But...you can't do that! River, I mean it! That was not funny…not one bit. Here, I thought for a second you were in serious danger…I mean, what gives you the right to…"<p>

The man's futile lecture ceased, when a pair of luscious lips frolicked atop his, in a single flirtatious gesture.

Winking childishly, River spoke in a tone of mockery.

"Rule one, remember? I learned it from an old friend…"

_Ugh… I should really try to keep my bloody mouth shut one of these days…_

Despite his own frustration and burning desire to maintain a convincing scowl, the Doctor found it difficult to refute the intense variety of flaming emotions that were stirring from within his hearts.

"Sweetie, are you ready to listen to what I have to say?" The curly haired woman raised her eyebrows in question.

_So that's what this is all about._

The man's hearts were pounding rapidly in his ears, and they compelled him to speak spontaneously.

"Yes! I mean…no…oh, okay, River, you win," the stubborn Doctor finally submitted to defeat.

River's smooth fingers carefully grasped his hand, and positioned them directly on the surface of the grey stone.

Her expression had suddenly transmuted into that of seriousness and uncertainty, as she shakily tapped the Doctor's fingertip against the rough ridges of the statue.

This simple action caused a haunting echo to permeate the air, a sound that theoretically would have been proclaimed impossible.

At this, the man furrowed his brow, secretly attempting to conceal the shock and alarm that were threatening to devour his body.

"It's…" The Doctor struggled to pronounce the next word.

"…hollow…" River Song completed his broken sentence, her neck stiffening.

Small crevices folded upon the Doctor's forehead, as his deep blue eyes grew very wide.

He began meticulously pacing back and forth, his fingers circling his face—a motion that only occurred when he was attempting to decipher the logistics of a situation.

"No, no, NO! But they can't be hollow…because that can only mean…they …never…existed…they're just echoes of what never was. But how could they possibly have gotten here? What could have caused such an impossible event to occur?"

Though the Doctor's wife was situated directly beside him, it appeared that he was speaking more so to himself than to anyone else.

"Doctor, what do you mean? I don't understand. How can something supposedly cease to exist and then remain standing right before your eyes?"

As River's chocked voice resounded through the gloomy air, a graveyard of shattered memories resurrected in the Doctor's mind.

The depressing image of a sweet little girl with carrot colored locks taunted him. Her glimmering hazel eyes possessed a childlike innocence, which caused the intensity of her fear to become increasingly apparent. But, the true problem lay in what was the source of her terror-stricken state.

The answer, the Doctor knew, lay in one devious force of pure evil—a mysterious crack nestling in the wall of one little girl's bedroom—a crooked crevice that had sought to devour entire populations, and had nearly destroyed the entire universe.

Just the thought of that eerie, intoxicating glow sent the Doctor's hearts thumping madly.

An army of stone angels had once been devoured by that scathing light, and purged from existence—at least, the Doctor had always assumed this had been the case. But, now, he was beginning to question his previous deductions.

Whether or not these were the same group of Angels that had wreaked havoc on the Byzantium was not currently the biggest issue, rather, what really terrified the raggedy man was the fact that their very existence was undoubtedly linked to a far greater threat, though the Doctor seemed unable to pinpoint precisely what it was.

_Come on…think! Whatever could have caused those creatures to come here must have been big…scary big…_

" River, we've really got to get out of here…I have the strangest feeling that this is all a trap…a dreadfully clever trap…But I can't seem to…"

The raggedy man halted his speech, his mind momentarily drawing a blank.

As he began to regain his focus, he became aware of the fact that his poor wife was shaking violently.

Her smooth fingers were shakily clasping a familiar silver pistol, which seemed to have been recently fired, and her left hand was resting upon her mid-section.

River's face was seriously constricted, and the tiny drops of liquid that presently cascaded down her pale cheeks only served to cause the Doctor's limbs to stiffen.

As his hearts writhed in agony, the empathetic man soon took notice of the tiny black marks that had suddenly appeared on his own skin.

In that terrible moment, the only words that seemed to reverberate through the Doctor's mind were those that he had once heard in an Italian city, years before.

"_There were cracks. Through some we saw Silence and the end of all things…"_

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><p><strong>Note: In case you didn't catch that, the final line is from "Vampires in Venice." I hope you liked it. I will update likely in a few weeks because I've been really busy lately. Remember that reviews are greatly appreciated, and that if you enjoyed this story, you can check out my others(which are posted on my profile).<strong>

**Have an amazingly brilliant day!**


	4. Forgotten

**Author's Note: Sorry it's been so long since I last upadated. When reading this chapter you should keep in mind what you know about the Silence and the memory loss that comes with them. It begin's in River's POV. I hope you enjoy it! Remember that reviews would be greatly appreciated.**

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><p>Clutching her beloved weapon, the curly haired woman began to tremble ravenously.<p>

A seething blankness had entered her mind, but the tears cascading down her cheeks were evidence of the fact that something menacing was currently at work.

_H-How can they be here? What do they want with me?_

The familiar aroma of metal mingled with gun powder laced the frigid air, reminding River of the fact that she had recently fired her pistol.

Normally, such a potent scent would arouse her senses, allowing a blood-curdling thrill to seep into her veins, but now as she took notice of the tiny dark marks on her skin and the festering pain that consumed her stomach, she was overcome by a bout of nausea.

Her green tinged eyes watered as she finally managed to glance in her husband's direction, her gaze meeting his for just a moment.

She could see the blazing fear alight in his eyes as they widened.

_Help me, Doctor, please…_

Even the mighty River Song battled the urge to scream, though nothing escaped her closed throat.

Horrific droplets continued to lace her skin like tiny raindrops, despite her intense longing to hold them back.

But it was no use.

"Doctor—" She rasped, a weak sound released from her parched lips as her wavering eyes pleaded with his.

Daunting remnants of broken memories suddenly blasted through her mind in a matter of seconds, taking any remaining breath out of her fatigued body.

"No, please…"

There was a hideous face—a terrible, monstrous image that lingered in her brain for only a short period of time.

And then it was gone in an instant.

Entirely forgotten.

Shaking violently back and forth, the curly haired woman was haunted by another gut-wrenching memory of the past.

'_Melody Pond. The woman who kills the Doctor.'_

The unavoidable snakelike voice that had consumed her childhood spoke quietly in the back of her mind, yet just loudly enough to remind her of the purpose she had been trained for.

"No, I can't. I won't. Never again." River revealed her hidden thoughts, distracted by the unbearable agony that corroded her body and overpowered her heart.

Swaying from side to side, and unable to control her movements any longer, the Doctor's wife grew dizzy.

It was quite an unusual feeling—her lungs were in fire, gasping for breath, and her stomach was blazing.

"River, River, are you okay?" She scarcely recognized the lulling voice of her husband as she melted into his strong arms.

"I'm…I'm…I" the gentle whisper was released from her lips, as she stuttered.

"River, you're burning up!" The Doctor concluded worriedly, his warm hand smoothing her wild curls from off her smoldering forehead.

As her arm dangled limply, her precious pistol tumbled out of her quivering fingers before crashing to the ground below.

Battling the pain that threatened to consume her stomach, River's long eyelashes fluttered rapidly, her vision blurring.

A great desire radiating from within the very core of her being prompted her to remain strong, but to no avail.

It was incredibly eerie.

Her mind was storming with swirling clouds, a thick and foggy haziness that made it very difficult to think about anything clearly.

_What's happening to me? I—I can't seem to remember…my mind…so blank…_

For the next few moments all she was aware of was the flame that scourged her insides and the horrible realization that she had forgotten something extremely important.

Breathing in more deeply, the curly haired woman could feel her husband's hot breath lacing her frigid skin.

Her sensitive ears detected what seemed to be a low cackle amidst the dreary night air.

"Doctor?" River buried her soiled face in his chest, wishing so desperately to extinguish the tantalizing nausea and terror that had crept into her unsteady body.

"It's alright, River, I've got you. I've got you. Don't you worry about a thing. You're going to be just fine." He pulled her more securely in within his grasp though she had already begun to slip away.

* * *

><p>Glistening beads of sweat laced the Doctor's brow as he held his terrified wife close to his thumping hearts.<p>

The soft breeze that exited her mouth confirmed that she was just barely conscious.

His watery eyes descended to her lurid face.

It was so pale and lifeless.

What had become of her fiery spirit? Where was the woman _he_ knew?

He had deceptively claimed that everything was going to turn out alright.

Rule one: The Doctor lies.

In that troubling moment, those words rang more true that perhaps ever before.

_She looks terribly ill. But it doesn't make any sense. River's never been sick a day in her life. Because she's part Time Lord, she's immune to many illnesses that would ordinarily affect humans. Unless…_

Drawing his attention back to the alarming black markings on his arm, the man shuddered, momentarily recalling exactly what he was dealing with-the enigmatic beings that had been interfering with history across the universe for thousands of years.

'_Silence will fall…'_

His numb fingers traced River's burning brow, which continued to grow hotter by the second.

"No, River…"

Fumbling for the pulse in her neck, the Doctor could only detect a slight fluctuation.

As his heats swelled with a dreadful combination of fear, confusion, and rage, he narrowed his eyes, scouring the gruesome darkness for some of the most terrifying creatures he had ever encountered.

"What have you done to her?" A harsh cry of bitterness cascaded from his lips, dissipating into the empty air.

The hoarse echo of his own scream penetrated his hearing, once again reminding him of the destructive forces that were lurking in the shadows.

"Answer me! " He spat loudly, his clenched fist soaring through the midnight sky.

For a moment there was nothing but an ominous silence.

The Doctor listened more intently.

Still nothing.

Exacerbated by the hopelessness of the situation, the raggedy man sifted his hand through his shabby frock of hair.

It was then that his senses became aroused by a strange noise, throbbing in the back of his mind.

So subtle, yet entirely menacing.

At first he couldn't seem to place it in his disturbed brain, but as the sound steadily crescendoed, it was only a matter of seconds before he recognized it.

A horrid, debase cackle that reverberated throughout the hazy night.

Laughter.

_I can't see them but they're definitely here. For all I know we could have both seen them numerous times already._

Cringing, the Doctor began to shake, his body unable to remain still as a sudden realization finally occurred to him.

_What the heck am I doing? The Silence aren't supposed to know I'm alive, that's the whole reason River's in prison…but if they know the truth then what exactly are they up to?_

The man in the bow tie vainly attempted to cling to this lingering thought, but unfortunately he was unable to do so.

His brilliant mind became shrouded in a thickening fog, making it completely impossible to recall the recent shattering events that were now seeping out of his mind.

_Can't think…there was something…something terribly important…can't remember…too difficult…_

Placing one hand on his throbbing temple, the Doctor made his best effort to remember exactly what had caused such a burning fear to rage from within his hearts.

He didn't even think to glance down at his arms, startled by the sensation of soft ringlets of curls warming his fingertips.

"River…what's happened to you?" Searching her fluttering eyelashes, River's husband was bombarded by an intense feeling of deja vu.

Even as he traced her pale skin, the Doctor couldn't rid himself of the unsettling notion that he had repeated that motion many times in the recent past.

Recognizing the frantic sounds of his shortened breaths, the man in the bow tie tried to expunge the deadly terror that was pulsating from deep within his very being.

It wasn't until his wife began to stir that his focus was turned elsewhere.

"Ugh…Sweetie? What happened? I can't remember—" Her eyelids oscillated back and forth as she beckoned herself awake.

"I'm afraid you're not the only one." The Doctor was referring to the indescribable void that filled his head.

What was it? It was driving him mad.

"Ow…" Clutching her mid-section, River Song moaned in pain.

"River, what's wrong? What's the matter? Are you ill?" He bolted questions at her, revealing the extent of his deep concern.

"No…I'm…fine…yes…perfectly fine…" Her voice shook as she clenched her jaw, attempting to remain strong.

"Don't be ridiculous, River, you've got a high fever, for goodness sake! Now, come to think of it…you fainted earlier, too…I'm not sure how I'd forgotten that until just now…but that's beside the point. River there's something terribly wrong with you…"

"But…I-I've n-never ever gotten sick before. It's nothing; you're probably just overreacting. For all we know it could be the prison food, nothing more."

"River, you're a partial Time Lord, which means you've got an awfully powerful immune system, so there is absolutely no way that your meals from Stormcage would have this sort of effect on you! Whatever illness has affected you—it's big, scary big—off the scale, yes, precisely—but what could it be? Most diseases remain in the body for a while before a person begins to show symptoms, and we haven't been here long enough…so whatever it is, you must have gotten it before…"

Suddenly halting abruptly, the Doctor watched in horror as River's emerald irises dilated, her slender fingers were once again clutching her trusted weapon.

"What is it? River, tell me—"

But she couldn't speak.

Her throat closed.

_Oh no, this can't be good…_

The Doctor concluded, before turning toward the stone statues that he had temporarily forgotten were very close by.

"No…"

Absorbing his surroundings, the raggedy man noted the dark markings that were purposefully scrawled across the ancient stone.

His handwriting.

'_Get out of here! Run! But don't forget…whatever you do, you mustn't forget…'_

Entwining River's hand in his, the Doctor began to regain remnants of shattered memories.

As he hastily scanned the perimeter, it was only a matter of brief seconds before reality struck.

"River, look, the grass, it's a bit wet, don't you think? If I remember correctly it was completely dry when we got here. Over there—footprints, our footprints…we've been running but something must have brought us back here. And the statues, they haven't moved, but that's definitely my handwriting…though it's slightly faded…which can only mean…we haven't been here for a few hours…we've been here for days…"

* * *

><p><strong>Note: Sorry I ended in another cliffhanger. I'm afraid it's gotten to be quite a nasty habit of mine. Hopefully the next chapter will be more revealing than this one. Well, anyway, feel free to check out some of my other stories on my profile page. <strong>

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